16 April 2025
Jude Bellingham expressed confidence in his team Real Madrid's ability to overturn their 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals and avenge their defeat on Wednesday in the second leg at the Bernabéu. The Spanish club suffered a heavy defeat to Arsenal in London last week, leaving Carlo Ancelotti's team in an unenviable position.
However, Real Madrid, the record 15-time European champions, have achieved more than a few stunning comebacks over the years, most recently against Manchester City and Chelsea in 2022, as well as Bayern Munich last season. Bellingham is eager to contribute to another comeback with the royal club.
The England international said on Tuesday, "We want to be part of this achievement. We want to add something to the history of this club. There aren't many things Real Madrid hasn't achieved in the Champions League. Tomorrow we have the opportunity to achieve something, and that's very important for us."
"As far as mental toughness is concerned, we believe in that," Bellingham told the British news agency PA Media. "You can't go into a game like that thinking there's nothing else to be done than a comeback."
He noted, "It's one of the worst results we could have imagined, and for some reason, everyone thinks we'll definitely come back."
Bellingham believes that Real Madrid's success in pulling off several impressive comebacks over the years gives the current generation of players confidence in qualifying for the last four.
He concluded, "The more you talk to the other players and see how confident they are, the more it affects you. You're a player who's been through it before, and that influence is transmitted to the other players. It's contagious and makes you feel more comfortable with the situation we're in."
